Your Appetite for Risk

By Claire Poole

June 03, 2009

Investment portfolios should be properly diversified. Your distribution of stocks, bonds and cash should reflect your age, risk tolerance and retirement goals. The younger you are, the more you'll want stocks over bonds, high growth companies over stalwarts, and emerging market stocks over developed countries. Do a once-a-year check up with a financial adviser to make sure you're on the right track. Don't have a financial planner? Here are 8 Questions to Ask BEFORE Hiring a Financial Planner.

This Asset Allocation Calculator is designed to help you create a balanced portfolio of investments. Use factors like "age," and "economic outlook" to view a pie chart that represents your ideal portfolio distribution.